Prioritising Partnership: Highlights from SDS Scotland Mid-Year Stakeholder Event 2026

On Thursday 8 October, Self Directed Support Scotland (SDSS) welcomed 56 attendees to its online Mid-Year Stakeholder Event 2026, held under the theme ‘Prioritising Partnership’. 

The event brought together people working across the Self-directed Support (SDS) sector, providing an opportunity to reflect on progress, share experiences and explore how stronger collaboration can help improve the delivery of SDS across Scotland. 

With social care continuing to face significant financial and workforce pressures, the event highlighted the value of bringing together different perspectives, expertise and lived experiences to address shared challenges. 

The programme featured contributions from:  

• Donald Macleod, Chief Executive, Self Directed Support Scotland, sharing key achievements and insights from the past year;  
• Matt Crilly, Policy Manager, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, reflecting on the recent Self Directed Support Leadership Summit; and 
• Cheryl Taylor, SDS Lead, West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership, sharing her insights into partnership working and the power of collective leadership. 

Attendees also had the opportunity to take part in three workshops, each exploring a different aspect of SDS improvement and highlighting the importance of collaboration in finding practical solutions: 

• How do we know our SDS support works? – exploring the co-production of a self-evaluation tool for Independent Support Organisations.
  Magali Redding, Research and Training Coordinator, SDS Scotland 
• Harnessing data to recruit more Personal Assistants – considering how shared data and a coordinated approach can strengthen PA recruitment.
  Pawel Kopec, Programme and Events Coordinator, SDS Scotland
  Hazel Jack, Office Manager, Encompass 
• Artificial intelligence: practical solutions for support organisations – exploring how emerging technologies can support organisations while keeping human relationships at the heart of SDS.
  Jeremy Adderley, Operations Manager, SDS Scotland 

Together, the workshops demonstrated how partnership working can take different forms, from sharing knowledge and resources to developing tools and approaches that respond to common challenges. 

We concluded the event by sharing details of upcoming SDSS opportunities. We announced our new SDS Training Programme for 2026–27, offering a series of online training sessions designed to build knowledge and confidence in SDS. Covering everything from the foundations of SDS to more specialist topics, the programme draws on policy, evidence and lived experience to support learning and good practice across the sector. 

We shared that our SDS National Voice Conference 2027 will take place on Wednesday 24 March 2027, returning to the Technology and Innovation Centre at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Bringing together voices from across the sector, the conference will provide another valuable opportunity to share ideas, strengthen partnerships and help shape the future of Self-directed Support. Early Bird tickets are now available. 

Book our training and secure your Early Bird conference place today.